Outeniqua Wheelchair Challenge

Wheelchair athlete sets new course record for OCC race

George, Western Cape -Guts, determination, adrenalin and sweat. . . these features marked every competitor in Saturday’s Outeniqua Wheelchair Challenge (OCC) in George, in which a record number of athletes with disabilities from seven countries competed.
Presented by ACSA (George Airport), the 10th anniversary race met the organisers’ goal to attract over 1 000 entrants - the highest number of competitors ever - including top athletes from around the world and all over South Africa.
Taking top honours in the hand cycle division in the men’s open paraplegic 42.2km division was Ernst van Dyk (Maties Helderberg club), setting a new course record of 1:08:29.
Van Dyk, who hails from Paarl, has been racing for 10 years, and had an average race speed of 38 kilometres per hour. This is the tenth time he has entered the OCC race.
Speaking after the race, Van Dyk praised organisers and spoke of fierce competition. ‘All the hard training is worth it to be able to stand on the winner’s podium today. Other competitors were constantly right behind me. The race was not easy to win - I couldn’t relax for a single minute! We worked hard together but it was still not easy to win. As always, the race was very well organised and the course was extremely safe, thanks to the Traffic Officials from George Municipality with no danger from traffic.’
Alfred Muroyiwa from Zimbabwe took first place in the men’s open T53/54 Racing Wheelchair division with a time of 2:23:09.

In a winning time of 2:02:27, Hilary Lewis van South Africa won the Open Paraplegic ladies Paraplegic division.

Algoa FM kept spectators informed with live commentary broadcast from the finish line, while media sponsors Die Burger informed local readers of all the race details before the event.

Prize money of R244 000 was split over 44 categories in three distances - a 42.2 km full marathon (with a R10 000 first prize), a 21.1 km half-marathon for athletes using racing wheelchairs or hand cycles, and a 10 km distance, which also allowed basketball chairs and ordinary wheelchairs. Junior Tiaan Boshoff from Hermanus with his handcycle won the 10km distance in a time of 0:22:32.

The OCC wheelchair race South Africa’s only international wheelchair road racing sporting event for persons with disabilities, and is recognised as an official Championship event by the SA Sports Association for the Physically Disabled (SASAPD).

The 5km fun event, in which young and old were pushed in their wheelchairs by a helper, attracted entrants of all ages from all corners of the country. The youngest competitor was Miduyo Tyanase of Plettenberg bay and the oldest was Stefanus Hoffman of George.

Celebrity actor and comedian Alfred Ntombela delighted spectators with antics as he pushed Sheronique Draai in the fun event, while Katlego Maboe joined in the fun by pushing Veronique Pietersen both children of Optima Special Day care centre from George.

Helping with the smooth running of the 10th OCC anniversary event were more than 900 people, who were involved as organisers, volunteers, officials and chair pushers.

Event director Esther Watson was delighted with the day. “As the last athlete crossed the finish line, I breathed a sigh of relief that we had once again kept our record of zero casualties 100% intact. It is an honour and a privilege to feel we have made a difference in the lives of the competitors by providing an opportunity for them to compete as well as have fun. I am forever in awe of the achievements of every one of these special athletes. Thank you to all who helped to ensure that the event was a roaring success.’

For race results, more photographs and further information, please visit www.georgeocc.co.za or telephone event director Esther Watson on 082 421 9359.

Nuwe rekord vir die 10 de

George, Wes Kaap – Deurstettingsvermoë, determineerdheid, adrenalien, en sweet……..hierdie kenmerke het elke deelnemer in Saterdag se Outeniqua Rolstoel Uitdaag Wedren, waarin ‘n rekord getal deelnemers met gestremdheid van sewe lande regoor die wêreld deelgeneem het, gekenmerk.
Aangebied deur ACSA (George Lughawe), het die 10 de herdenkings wedren, die organiseerders se doelwit naamlik om meer as 1000 deelnemers aan die OCC te laat deelneem - die hoogste getal nog ooit – insluitend top atlete van regoor die wêreld en Suid Afrika oortref.

Wenner in die handfiets afdeling van die Man’s Ope Paraplegie 42.2km was Ernst van Dyk (Maties Heldderberg Klub), en is daar weereens ‘n nuwe roete rekord van 1:08:29 opgestel.

Van Dyk afkomstig van Paarl, neem al vir 10 jaar deel en het ‘n gemiddelde spoed van 38 kilometres per uur gehandhaaf. Hierdie is die tiende jaar dat hy aan die OCC deelneem.
In ‘n opmerking na die wedren, het Van Dyk die organiseerders wereens geloof en gepraat van die stywe kompetisie van vanjaar se deelnemers. “ Al die harde werk en oefening maak alles die moetie werd om vandag weer op die podium te staan. Ander deelnemers was konstant reg agter my. Dit was nie ‘n maklike wedren om te gewen het nie – ek kon nie een minuut verslap nie! Ek en die ander deelnemers het mekaar takties ondersteun, maar tog hard gewerk vir die eerste plek. En soos gewoonlik was die wedren uitstekend georganiseer en ongelooflik veilig sonder die gevaar van die verkeer en motoriste. Alle dank aan die Verkeersbeamptes van George Munispaliteit”
Alfred Murojiva van Zimbabwe het die eerste plek in die mans ope T53/54 Resies Rolstoel afdeling in ‘n tyd van 2:23:09 gewen.

In ‘n wentyd van 2:02:27 het Hilary Lewis van Suid Afrika die Ope Paraplegiese Handfiets afdeling gewen.

Algoa FM het die toeskouers en luisteraars ingelig gehou met lewendige kommentaar van die eindstreep terwyl media borg Die Burger Wes Kaapse lesers deurentyd op hoogte gehou het met wedren besonderhede voor die wedren.
Prysgeld van R244 000 was verdeel tussen 44 kategorië oor drie afstande - ‘n 42.2 km vol maraton (met R10 000 as eerste prys), ‘n 21.1km half maraton vir atlete in handfietse en resiesrolstoele, sowel as ‘n 10km afstand, met rolstoelbasketbal stoele en gewonde rolstoele. Junior Tiaan Boshoff van Hermanus het in sy handfiets die 10km in ‘n tyd van 0:22:32 gewen.

Die OCC is Suid Afrika se enigste internasionale rolstoel padwedloop wat ‘n geleentheid bied aan gestremde sportmanne / vroue, en word as ‘n offisiële Kampioenskap by Suid Afrikaanse Sport Assosiasie vir Persone met Fisiese Gestremdheid (SASAPD) erken

Die 5km prêt ren, waar persone van alle ouderdomme, oud en jonk in hulle rolstoele gestoot is deur ‘n helper, het inskrywings van alle uithoeke in Suid Afrika gelok. Die jongste deelnemertjie was Miduyo Tyanase (8 maande) van Plettenberg baai en die oudste was Stefanus Hoffman (83 jaar) van George.

Glanspersoonlikheid akteur en komediant Alfred Ntombela het die toeskouers vermaak met streke terwyl hy Veronique Pietersen in die prêt ren gestoot het terwyl Katlego Maboe in die prêt gedeel het deur ook vir Shenonique Draai, beide kinders van Optima Spesiale Dagsorg Sentrum van George te gestoot het.

Meer as 900 persone, betrokke as organiseerders, vrywilligers, beamptes en rolstoel storers, het meegehelp om die die 10 de herdenkings wedren glad te laat verloop.

Wedren direkteur Esther Watson was oorstelp met die dag. “Met elke deelnemer wat oor die eindstreep gekom het, het ek ‘n sug van verligting gegee aangesien ons weereens ons rekord van geen ernstige ongevalle gestand kon doen. Dit is ‘n eer en voorreg om te kan voel ons het ‘n verskil gemaak in die lewens van deelnemers deur aan elkeen ‘n geleentheid te bied om kompeterend sowel as sosiaal te kon deelneem. Ek is egter in verwondering oor elkeen van hierdie spesiale deelnemers se prestasies. Alle dank aan almal wat gehelp het om te verseker dat die wedren weereens ‘n reuse sukses was.

Vir wedren resultate, meer foto’s en enige ander inligting, besoek die webwerf www.georgeocc.co.za of skakel wedren direkteur Esther Watson op 082 421 9359.
Alle foto’s verskaf deur Desmond Scholtz

Super-athletes poised to compete in10th wheelchair race

Pedigreed athlete Luigi the cheetah is the ambassador for the Cango Wildlife Ranch on the Garden Route. Here, he shares some racing tips with children from the Klein Karoo School who have entered the OCC’s 10th wheelchair challenge next month. They are, from left to right, Menzi Maseko (14), Eltony Witbooi (14), Jenaymare Mei (14) and Tamra Bezuidenhout (9).s from all over the planet will jostle for top honours in South Africa’s only major wheelchair race - the 10^th OCC wheelchair challenge in George on 18 February.

Entrants from seven countries, including Austria, Scotland, Ireland, Zimbabwe, South Africa and as far afield as Ghana and Nigeria, will travel to the heart of the Garden Route to compete next month.

Locally, competitors from every corner of South Africa will be participating in the popular event for athletes with physical disability.

Race director Esther Watson is thrilled with the wide geographic spread of participating countries, as well as the calibre and quantity of athletes. ‘We have a very prestigious line-up this year, and anticipate fierce competition for the first 10 places in the 42.2km Hand Cycle category, as well as many races-within-a-race for the rest of the field.’

Some of the top names include Scotland’s Kenny Herriot, currently the world’s best Endurance Hand Cycle athlete, who completed a 900 mile ride from San Francisco to New York in 2009 to raise awareness of childhood cancer, notching up around 90 miles every day for 10 days.

Entries roll in for 10th wheelchair race in George

14 December 2011

Hundreds of athletes with disabilities have already entered the popular annual Outeniqua Wheelchair Challenge (OCC), and are training hard for the event, which takes place in George on 18 February 2012.

Celebrity actor and comedian Alfred Ntombela - well known for his roles in the Leon Schuster movies - has thrown his weight behind the organisers’ bid to get 1000 athletes on the starting line for the 10^th OCC Wheelchair Challenge next February, and is encouraging as many persons with disabilities as possible to compete in one of the 44 categories on the day.

Inskrwyings rol in vir die 10de rolstoelwedren in George

14Desember 2011

Honderde atlete met gestremdhede het alreeds ingeskryf vir die gewilde jaarlikse Outeniqua Wheelchair Challenge (OCC), en is hard aan die oefen vir die wedren wat in George, op 18 Februarie 2012 plaasvind.

Glans persoonlikheid akteur en komediant Alfred Ntombela –wel bekend vir sy rolle in die Leon Schuster rolprente - het ook sy gewig in gegooi agter die organiseerders se poging om 1000 atlete vir die 10de OCC volgende jaar in Februarie tewerf, en moedig soveel as moontlik persone met gestremdhede aan om deel teneem en in te skryf vir een van die 44 kategorië van die dag.